Lean Surgical Trays

The Lean Surgical Tray initiative is a key component of Green Healthcare Scotland, supporting clinical teams to reduce waste and improve efficiency within surgical pathways. It enables clinicians to review and optimise the content of surgical instruments trays, ensuing that only essential instruments are routinely processed and used.  

By removing unused instruments and reducing the number of trays processed, the initiative helps to minimise waste, lower carbon emissions associated with decontamination and sterilisation, and improve theatre efficiency, while maintaining patient safety and clinical quality.  

Clinically-led and scalable across specialities, the Lean Surgical Tray initiative demonstrates how practical, evidence‑based change can deliver environmental, operational and cost benefits for surgical services across NHS Scotland. It also reflects a shift from previous approaches, with Green Healthcare Scotland actively supporting Health Boards through implementation.